Summer Daze
by Devonny Rose
Summary: What? What was that? They are all in the same hotel? Together? He kissed WHO? And whose skin is peeling? What do you mean a pink -


**A/N: Here's a challenge fic that caight my interest. It's a Fawkes' Ashes Challenge. The requirements are:**

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**It has to be the trio's (or any additional characters if desired) Summer holiday. It can be the summer after OoTP or a later one.**

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**Must include at least three of the following ...**

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**- A character gets sunburn**

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**- Two characters kiss**

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**- A game of some sort is played**

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**- A character says "I wouldn't be seen dead in a bunny suit. Least of all pink.**

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**- Two or more characters have a fist fight**

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**- A character cries**

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**- A character gets a cold**

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**- A character says "Stop doing that, I might catch something."**

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**- A party**

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**And it has to be at least 1500 words.**

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**I saw this challenge and I just had to write something. All of the afformentioned things are in this fic somewhere. Enjoy.**

"I can't believe I let you guys talk me into this," Harry grumbled, gripping onto a windowsill as the Knight Bus lurched forward violently.  
  
"It'll be fun, Harry!" exclaimed Ron, though the effect was slightly lost by the green-tinge to his face. "What better way to spend the first summer of our adulthood than by lounging around and getting completely sloshed?"  
  
"Would you like a list?"  
  
"Oh, stop your gripping," scolded Hermione.  
  
"It's just … " He sighed. "I have a really bad feeling about this."  
  
"We promised you the best vacation of your life, Harry! And the best it will be! Just think!" Ron acquired a glassy look to his face. "Sleeping until noon, partying until five, and it doesn't have to end in September! We are finally free!"  
  
"Sure, rub it in," Ginny complained from where she was trying, and failing miserably, to sketch a picture. "Some of us still have one year left."  
  
"Next stop: Brighton Beach," called out the conductor, Stan. He walked over to where the group was gathered. "Hullo, 'Arry! I 'aven't seen you around for awhile."  
  
"Been a bit busy, Stan."  
  
"So I 'eard. I read all 'bout the defeat of the Dark Lord in the paper, 'Arry." He glanced out the window where the scenery had changed to hazy beaches and blue skies. "If anyone deserves a vacation, it's you."  
  
_'Then why does this feeling keep getting worse?'_ Harry thought sorrowfully.

* * *

"Reservation for four. It's under the name Granger," Hermione said primly to the check-in lady. As the woman scanned the computer screen, Harry studied the room.  
  
_'It looks nice enough,'_ he mentally conceded. _'Maybe I'm just getting paranoid. I really should stop spending so much time around Mad-Eye.'_ He eyed the excited looks on his friends' faces. _'And, who knows, I may actually enjoy myself.'  
_  
"Alright, room 312."  
  
"Thank you," Hermione replied. They headed for the elevator.  
  
Until a voice made them stop dead, that is.  
  
"Reservation under Malfoy," came a snotty voice behind them.  
  
Filled with dread, Harry slowly wheeled around. Beside him, Ron paled.  
  
Draco Malfoy stood, suitcases by his feet, at the front desk.  
  
"Please tell me that I'm hallucinating," pleaded Ron. "I have to be dreaming. There is no way that – Ouch!" He rubbed his arm where Ginny had just reached up and pinched him. "What was that for?"  
  
"Did it hurt?" she asked innocently.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then you're not dreaming." Ron let out a strange whimpering sound. "Brother dear, are you crying?"  
  
"Maybe a little."  
  
"Ah, here it is," they heard the lady say. "Room 314."  
  
"Remember the bad feeling I had?" Harry question quietly. His red-haired best nodded weakly. "Well, it just got worse."

* * *

"Maybe we won't see him at all," reasoned Hermione, neatly unpacking her suitcase.  
  
"Hermione, he's in the next room!" Ron paced the floor angrily. "There goes our perfect summer. Why didn't we listen to Harry? We should, in the future. It should be a new rule: we listen to Harry more often. After all, when is Harry wrong about these things? First Voldemort, now Malfoy – "  
  
"Hey!" Harry looked put-out. "I'm not your own personal weather vane for trouble, you know!"  
  
"Actually, you kind of are," Ginny said.  
  
"That's not the point!" He got up and gripped Ron's shoulders. "Wasn't it you who said we would have THE best vacation of out lives?"  
  
"Yes, but – "  
  
"And wasn't it you who made me come on this bloody trip in the first place?"  
  
"Me and Herm – "  
  
"What happened to the parties? The alcohol? The women?"  
  
"There still around, but – "  
  
"The Ron Weasley I know wouldn't give up so easily!"  
  
"You're right!" Ron straightened, looking determined. "We can't let the ferret ruin this for us! Plus, what are the chances that he'll – " A knock sounded on the door. "Hold on, I'll get it." He pulled open the door only to reveal a very wet-looking Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Can I borrow a towel?"  
  
There was a resounding SMACK! as Ron hit his head against the wall.

* * *

Draco had always been inherently evil. You ask any member of Hogwarts, may they be student or staff, about what they thought Draco's future would hold and you'd get the same answers:  
  
"Azkaban."  
  
"Serving the Dark Lord."  
  
"Filthy rich and still a spoiled brat."  
  
"Dead."  
  
So it was a surprise to many when Draco went to the Headmaster's office three months before the Final Battle to change sides. As he had put it, "A Malfoy does not bow to anyone. And do you know how hard it is to get Muggle bloodstains out of robes?"  
  
As Harry had put it, "He's afraid of losing and putting his perfectly gelled hair at risk."  
  
But, in the end, Draco and Harry formed a somewhat civil relationship: they no longer hexed each other on sight.  
  
Not good enough that they would borrow linens from one another though.  
  
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Harry asked wearily.  
  
"Just visiting my favorite Gryffindors," he replied sarcastically. "What do you think I'm doing here?"  
  
"Making my life a living hell," moaned Ron. "Are you sure he's not a figment of my imagination?" he asked his friends again, poking the blond-teen in the chest with one finger.  
  
Draco pushed his hand away, disgusted. "Stop doing that, I might catch something." He glared irritably. "Can I just get a towel and leave? They forgot to put some in my room."  
  
Harry reached over to where the housing staff had left a stack and tossed one to him. "There. Now leave."  
  
"My, my, aren't we grouchy today, Potter. Is this how you plan on spending the next two months? Boy, do you really know how to party."  
  
"We can party!" Ron insisted.  
  
"Really? Prove it," he sneered back.  
  
"We will! Come back tonight. We'll show you how to have a real good time!"  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes in confusion before he smirked. "Alright, I'll be there." And he left.  
  
"Please tell me that you did not just volunteer us to spend more time with Malfoy?" Harry shut his eyes.  
  
Ron opened his mouth to retort, but then closed it.  
  
"Oh my God, we're having a _slumber party_ with Draco Malfoy!" Ginny cried in disbelief.  
  
Ron resumed his head-bashing.

* * *

"It's not funny, Ron!" Ginny gritted her teeth in pain as she sat down.  
  
"Yes it is!" he howled. "You look like a lobster!" Even Hermione had to let out a small chuckle of agreement out on that one.  
  
Determined to make the most of the beautiful, summer sun, Ginny had headed down to the ocean, longing for a relaxing day of floating in the water and sipping lemonade. Unfortunately, she fell asleep.  
  
Science question everybody: What do you get when you mixed a very pale-skinned, red-haired girl with a long day of humid, glaring sunshine?  
  
The result: A very crimson Ginny who looked about ready to hex her brother to kingdom come despite the fact that she had another month until she was of age.  
  
"Whoa, I know Weasleys are famous for being red, but isn't this taking things a bit too far?" Draco drawled, leaning against the door-frame.  
  
"Shove it, Malfoy," growled Ginny. "Or I'll shove you – "  
  
"Alright!" Hermione clapped her hands together, cutting off the rest of the threat. "What are we doing tonight?"  
  
"The larger Weasel here did promise a night of fun," mocked Draco.  
  
"And I intend to deliver," maintained Ron.  
  
"Do we have to?" whined Harry, yawning. "Because I'm really knackered."  
  
"Are you okay, Harry," Hermione asked in concern. You don't look too well."  
  
"I'm fine. Just not up for a night of clubbing."  
  
"But, Harry – " Ron was cut off by Hermione's excited shout.  
  
"Ooooh! Let's play a board game!" She was met with a blank stare from the resident Purebloods.  
  
"A what?"  
  
"It's a Muggle thing, you'll see." She got up. "I'm sure I saw a couple of boxes around here somewhere …"  
  
"I'm not the spending my evening playing a … Muggle … game," shuddered Draco.  
  
"Why, scared?" Ginny taunted.  
  
"Malfoys aren't afraid of anything."  
  
"Then let's play."  
  
"Here it is!" Hermione returned, carrying a rectangular cardboard box in her hands. "Shoots and Ladders!"  
  
"I used to love that game," Harry reminisced. "We used to play it in Primary School. The winners would get the best swings and the losers would have to eat dirt."  
  
"Hmmm … " Ron scratched his chin. "How about we make this interesting? A small wager, perhaps!"  
  
"I'm not eating dirt," Draco said immediately.  
  
"No, no, something more interesting … How about the losers have to kiss whoever the winner tells them to?"  
  
Draco smirked evilly. "Oooh, perfect."  
  
"Sounds good to me," shrugged Harry.  
  
"Oh, no!" Hermione said despondently. "There are only two pieces. We'll have to play in teams."  
  
"I call Hermione!" Harry yelled before anyone else could get a word out. Ron pouted.  
  
"That's not fair!" he complained. "Hermione – "  
  
"Sorry, Ron," she said. "But I'm on Harry's team this game." Harry looked smug.  
  
"Fine then. Ginny?" he looked up at her imploringly.  
  
"Don't look at me, Ron. I'm out. I need to put lotion on this burn." She winced slightly as she reached for her bag.  
  
"But I don't want to work with him!"  
  
"Yeah, well, this isn't a walk in the park for me either Weasley," he snapped back.  
  
"Quiet down, you two." Hermione flicked the spinner. "Let's play."

* * *

"Ha, ha!" Harry crowed. "We rescued a kitty from a tree! Ladder!"  
  
Draco flicked the spinner mutinously. "What kind of sappy Gryffindor game gives you points when you do good deeds – Wait!"  
  
"Malfoy, you broke the bloody cookie jar!"  
  
"Well, I'm sorry Weasley, maybe I was hungry."  
  
"Go, Hermione."  
  
The arrow spun around. "Yes! We win!" Harry and Hermione jumped up and did a victory dance.  
  
"Yeah, this has been an oh-so-riveting night, but I'm tired. I'm going to bed." Draco started to rise, when twin glares from the winning team stopped him.  
  
"You're forgetting about our little bet," said Hermione simply.  
  
"You aren't going to hold us to that, are you?"  
  
"You bet we are!"  
  
"And if I don't?"  
  
"Then," Harry interjected. "I'll have to tell everyone here about the conversation I overheard between you and Snape in the library – "  
  
"Fine, fine, I'll do it!" he said quickly. "Just don't – " He turned away slightly to get his bearing straight.  
  
"What did you hear?" Hermione mouthed.  
  
"Tell you later," Harry mouthed back, smirking mischievously.  
  
"Okay, let's get this over with. Pucker up, Hermione." Ron leaned in closer to his bushy-haired friend.  
  
"What exactly do you mean by that?" she said, hands on hips.  
  
"Oh, come on, everyone here knows that you are going to make me kiss you." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Is that so?" Her mouth thinned dangerously. "Well, I have news for you, Ronald Weasley. You are going to be kissing – " She paused, dramatically. "Draco Malfoy."  
  
"What?!?" They looked horror-stricken.  
  
"Now that is cruel and unusual punishment," Ginny commented from the couch. Harry plopped down next to her and conjured a bowl of popcorn.  
  
"This I've got to see."  
  
"Now, Hermione, I know you're angry with me, but this is taking things too far," Ron began placating. "I don't know, maybe you are PMS-ing or something, but – " He was cut off by the fist flying at his face. "Owww!"  
  
Draco snorted. "Weasley, you have sunken to a new low. You just got a black eye from Granger – " He stopped as Hermione's other hand came up to smack him across the face as well.  
  
"Ambidextrous," Harry commented and Ginny giggled.  
  
"Now, kiss," order Hermione. Draco glowered at her.  
  
"Now, wait just one minute – "  
  
"So I was checking out a book one day when Malfoy came rushing into the library, feathers in his hair and – " Harry began.  
  
"Alright!" Draco reached up and pulled a still-shocked Ron into a deep kiss. Fireworks went off around their heads. Birds sang. Little hearts popped up out of thin air. Their stomachs did cartwheels …  
  
Wait, that was their lunches coming back on them.  
  
"Blech!!!!" they shouted and jumped as far away from one another as they could.

* * *

Two hours later found the two boys in the same positions: each on opposite ends of the room, muttering incoherently to themselves.  
  
Harry was asleep on the couch, Ginny reclining at his feet. Hermione went over to him and pulled a blanket up over him. He stirred slightly.  
  
"I wouldn't be seen dead in a bunny suit," he mumbled softly. "Least of all pink." The girls exchanged looks and snickered slightly.  
  
Suddenly, he sat straight up and shouted, "Help! The clothes are dancing on the seesaw!"  
  
The room looked at him.  
  
"And, with that, I think I'll be going," said Draco. He shot an uneasy look over at Ron. "Oh, and that … _thing_ … that happened here tonight, it never leaves your mouths. Okay?" He slowly edged out of the room, still sticking to the far wall. Then he was gone.  
  
"I'm going to bed." Ron made a bolt for the bedroom and shut the door tightly behind him. Harry sneezed.  
  
"Wow, seeing my brother snog Malfoy has literally made you sick!" Ginny looked at him with wide-eyes.  
  
"So," Hermione said, impishly. "Are you finally going to finish the library story?"  
  
"Er, let's just say it involves Malfoy in a pink furry animal costume and leave it at that."  
  
Laughter rang throughout the room. 


End file.
